After watching his son become a Commonwealth Games sensation, Ross Murdoch’s dad spoke exclusively to the Lennox Herald about seeing him awarded gold.

Graham Murdoch, Ross’s mum Maureen and sister Heather have been cheering on the 20-year-old over the past week as he rose to fame claiming a gold medal in the 200m breaststroke and breaking a Commonwealth record, finishing in the third fastest time in history.

And the proud dad, who is a swimming coach at the Vale of Leven pool, said that seeing his son standing on the podium at Tollcross was one of his “proudest moments”.

He said: “When they played the Flower of Scotland, to us he was the Flower of Scotland because he has achieved so much.

“We are over the moon for him. We have family travelling from all over the world to come and see him compete. It’s just fantastic.

“We were just so happy when he won the gold. His mum started crying, she was absolutely ecstatic.

“When he won his gold medal on Thursday, he tried to come up to see us and we couldn’t get anywhere near him. He had so many kids swarming around him and they were all so excited to see him so we just left him to it.

“It was so great to see my son signing T-shirts and autographs and having his moment and enjoying himself. The atmosphere here has been amazing, the crowds have been going crazy.”

Former Levenvale Primary pupil Ross began the journey to success at the age of six, when he joined the West Dunbartonshire Swimming Club at the Vale of Leven swimming pool, where his younger sister Heather still swims.

He spent 10 years at the club before moving to Stirling University when he was 17, gaining national attention and picking up Scottish and British records in the 100m breaststroke on the way.

And just two years after travelling down to London to watch his idol Michael Jamieson pick up a silver medal in the Olympics, the former West Dunbartonshire swimmer stunned crowds – and himself – last week when he beat Commonwealth favourite Jamieson.

He also went on to pick up a bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke, clocking the second fastest time of the Games at 59.72.

And while Ross is celebrating his success, dad Graham says he is already got his eye on his next challenge: the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Graham added: “I know he will come back down to earth once this is all over and will keep improving and move on to what he wants to do next – and that’s go to Rio 2016. That is what he wanted to do long before the Commonwealth Games.

“When he travelled down to London during the Olympics in 2012 to watch Michael Jamieson swim, he decided that would be him in Rio. That’s what he has always wanted to do.

“There are so any people who trained Ross at the Vale who we owe a big thank you to Jack Bailey, Steven McKirby, Jimmy Orr, Heather and Brian Stark. They have played a part in getting him to where he is today.”